Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz Says Punjab Faces Terror Threat From Neighbouring Provinces, Not India

Pakistan Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said the province faces a greater threat from neighbouring provinces within Pakistan than from India, pointing to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as sources of terrorism.

Speaking during the launch of the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (PIFTAC) and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub in Lahore, Nawaz said Punjab faces less danger from neighbouring India and more from Pakistan's own neighbouring provinces, from where terrorism reaches Punjab.

The initiatives were launched to help reduce terrorism and crime in Punjab. Nawaz claimed that crime in the province had fallen by up to 70% since she became chief minister. She said the PIFTAC and AI Hub would help authorities identify threats in advance, improve coordination among security agencies and enable timely action against emerging challenges.

While Maryam Nawaz described terrorism as Pakistan's own problem and pointed to terrorist organisations operating from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a threat to Punjab, the province remains a hub of anti-India terrorism, according to the report.

The report states that leaders of groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr continue to reside in Punjab. It also describes the province as the epicentre of an ISI-sponsored gangster network targeting India.

Maryam Nawaz stated Punjab faces a greater threat from neighboring Pakistani provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where terrorism originates, than from India. The PIFTAC and AI Hub aim to reduce terrorism and crime in Punjab.

They will help identify threats early, improve security agency coordination, and enable timely action. Yes, the report states Punjab is a hub for anti-India terrorism. Leaders of groups like LeT and JeM reside there, and it's an ISI-sponsored gangster network targeting India.